Barge captain makes pitch for East End use
Written by David Carkhuff
A few Munjoy Hill residents harbor lingering opposition to commercial transport from the East End commercial boat landing, as they persist with a bid from two years ago to oust barge service from the popular East End site, according to a barge captain who is offering expanded car-ferry service there for Peaks Island residents.
"A small group of Munjoy Hill residents are attempting to have the city close this ramp, thereby making life more expensive and difficult for islanders," wrote Captain Coley Mulkern with Lionel Plante Associates Inc. of Peaks Island, in a message to The Portland Daily Sun.
On Thursday, Mulkern explained his concerns in an interview while picking up car-ferry traffic at the East End ramp.
"We're trying right now to fend off attacks from a few people that live up there on the top of the hill who don't like seeing trucks in their neighborhood, so they're trying to say, 'Get rid of that commercial boat ramp,'" he said in the interview.
Two years ago, in May 2011, the neighborhood group Friends of the Eastern Promenade argued that recreational and commercial boat traffic did not mix and that truck traffic did not fit at the boat launch, which is a portage site shared by boaters and kayakers.
Mulkern recalled at least a pair of meetings by the Harbor Commission, which he said led him to discover that a few people complained and prompted the city to pursue a study, which showed no feasible alternate location for commercial ocean transport.
"That's how I found out there were people pushing for it, and it's just a handful of people and they're trying to find a way to move it," Mulkern said. "And somehow they have enough clout to get the city to spend money on a study to find if there were somewhere else for it."
The status of this two-year-old push for an alternate location to the East End commercial boat ramp isn't clear. Some Munjoy Hill residents remember meetings in which a handful of critics sought to move the commercial boat landing but ran up against the reality that such a move would carry exorbitant costs.
Mulkern said he saw a chance to raise attention concerning the value of the landing, based on his temporary contract to provide car-ferry service to Peaks Island from the East End boat ramp.
"With this Casco Bay Lines operation, this is the only place to do something like this," he said.
Casco Bay Lines hired Lionel Plante Associates Inc. to provide the temporary car-ferry service via the East End, while maintenance is done on a ferry and the ferry gate. Regular car-ferry service at Casco Bay Lines' terminal is expected to resume by the end of next week.
Mulkern praised Casco Bay Lines for being forward-thinking enough to offer temporary service.
"In the past, especially when it was a private operation on the ferry service, when the ferry went down for any kind of maintenance, they said, 'Sorry, no ferry.' Well, the islands have gotten a lot busier and a lot more people out there with more needs and things have to be taken by vehicles. Even this time of year, we're averaging probably 150 to 200 vehicles a week going back and forth," Mulkern said.
The company's recently acquired ferry, the Ft Gaines, is transporting between 30 and 60 vehicles per day during the five days it runs, he estimated. Meanwhile, Lionel Plante Associates Inc. continues providing commercial barge service to a variety of users, from Portland Public Services trucks to Central Maine Power vehicles, all needing transport to and from the island.
"This East End ramp is the commercial road to the islands, this is how you get fuel trucks and garbage trucks and big tractor trailers and things that don't fit on the regular ferries," Mulkern said.
Whether the past irritation at the commercial activity on the East End is actually a lingering threat can't be easily confirmed.
Diane Davison, president of the Friends of the Eastern Promenade, indicated that she wasn't aware of any comments circulating about the temporary ferry service.
Mulkern insisted there's still resistance but said evidence of a working waterfront appeals to many onlookers and described a cooperative use of the commercial ramp.
"For three months out of the year we share it with recreational boaters, there's never been an issue. The city has rangers up here, everyone gets along," he said.
"A small group of Munjoy Hill residents are attempting to have the city close this ramp, thereby making life more expensive and difficult for islanders," wrote Captain Coley Mulkern with Lionel Plante Associates Inc. of Peaks Island, in a message to The Portland Daily Sun.
On Thursday, Mulkern explained his concerns in an interview while picking up car-ferry traffic at the East End ramp.
"We're trying right now to fend off attacks from a few people that live up there on the top of the hill who don't like seeing trucks in their neighborhood, so they're trying to say, 'Get rid of that commercial boat ramp,'" he said in the interview.
Two years ago, in May 2011, the neighborhood group Friends of the Eastern Promenade argued that recreational and commercial boat traffic did not mix and that truck traffic did not fit at the boat launch, which is a portage site shared by boaters and kayakers.
Mulkern recalled at least a pair of meetings by the Harbor Commission, which he said led him to discover that a few people complained and prompted the city to pursue a study, which showed no feasible alternate location for commercial ocean transport.
"That's how I found out there were people pushing for it, and it's just a handful of people and they're trying to find a way to move it," Mulkern said. "And somehow they have enough clout to get the city to spend money on a study to find if there were somewhere else for it."
The status of this two-year-old push for an alternate location to the East End commercial boat ramp isn't clear. Some Munjoy Hill residents remember meetings in which a handful of critics sought to move the commercial boat landing but ran up against the reality that such a move would carry exorbitant costs.
Mulkern said he saw a chance to raise attention concerning the value of the landing, based on his temporary contract to provide car-ferry service to Peaks Island from the East End boat ramp.
"With this Casco Bay Lines operation, this is the only place to do something like this," he said.
Casco Bay Lines hired Lionel Plante Associates Inc. to provide the temporary car-ferry service via the East End, while maintenance is done on a ferry and the ferry gate. Regular car-ferry service at Casco Bay Lines' terminal is expected to resume by the end of next week.
Mulkern praised Casco Bay Lines for being forward-thinking enough to offer temporary service.
"In the past, especially when it was a private operation on the ferry service, when the ferry went down for any kind of maintenance, they said, 'Sorry, no ferry.' Well, the islands have gotten a lot busier and a lot more people out there with more needs and things have to be taken by vehicles. Even this time of year, we're averaging probably 150 to 200 vehicles a week going back and forth," Mulkern said.
The company's recently acquired ferry, the Ft Gaines, is transporting between 30 and 60 vehicles per day during the five days it runs, he estimated. Meanwhile, Lionel Plante Associates Inc. continues providing commercial barge service to a variety of users, from Portland Public Services trucks to Central Maine Power vehicles, all needing transport to and from the island.
"This East End ramp is the commercial road to the islands, this is how you get fuel trucks and garbage trucks and big tractor trailers and things that don't fit on the regular ferries," Mulkern said.
Whether the past irritation at the commercial activity on the East End is actually a lingering threat can't be easily confirmed.
Diane Davison, president of the Friends of the Eastern Promenade, indicated that she wasn't aware of any comments circulating about the temporary ferry service.
Mulkern insisted there's still resistance but said evidence of a working waterfront appeals to many onlookers and described a cooperative use of the commercial ramp.
"For three months out of the year we share it with recreational boaters, there's never been an issue. The city has rangers up here, everyone gets along," he said.
Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 00:48
Hits: 164
CMP transformer slightly delayed by bridge malfunction
Written by David Carkhuff
On Wednesday, when operators of the Casco Bay Bridge experienced a switch malfunction that left the drawbridge stuck, which tied up traffic and interrupted passage of a ship underneath the bridge, a massive piece of Central Maine Power infrastructure was forced to briefly wait.
A cargo ship that was turned back during the bridge's malfunction was carrying one of two 286-ton electrical transformers, part of CMP's Maine Power Reliability Program.
This week, CMP announced delivery of the two 286-ton electrical transformers, one to be delivered by ship to Portland for the company's new Maguire Road Substation in Kennebunk and the other to Searsport for tranport to Coopers Mills Road Substation in Windsor.
The ship scheduled for arrival at the Mack Point Marine Cargo Terminal in Searsport is expected on Friday. The ship carrying the 286-ton electrical transformer to the Merrill Marine Terminal on the Fore River is the one that was delayed by the bridge malfunction, but the delay was not significant, said John Carroll, spokesman for CMP.
"These are both being installed as part of a five-year construction project. We're just about to celebrate the halfway mark," Carroll said.
Friday, May 17 marks the halfway point on the upgrade, he said.
"These are the last two transformers that are to be delivered," Carroll said.
The Maguire Road autotransformer delivery schedule includes a Saturday departure from Portland via rail; a May 18-19 arrival in Wells; a May 21-22 transfer from rail car to hydraulic trailer for a procession west on Route 9 and Route 109; "jack and slide" under I-95, north on Route 9A, and west on Maguire Road to the substation.
The "jack and slide," Carroll explained, is actually a complex exercise that hoists the transformer above the Maine Turnpike bridge while the carrier is conveyed under the bridge.
"They will build a crane there on the roadway and pick the thing up, build a trailer, and slide it under the highway, disassemble the crane and move it and reassemble it on the other side," Carroll explained.
"They're slow and deliberate and they get it done," Caroll said of the contractor.
Coopers Mills Road autotransformer delivery schedule: May 10-13: Expected vessel arrival and berthing at Mack Point Marine Cargo Terminal, Searsport; May 14, 7 a.m.: Discharge autotransformer to hydraulic heavy haul truck and MDOT inspection; May 15-16: Depart Searsport. The truck will travel south on Route 1 to Belfast, north on Route 141 to Swanville, west on Route 131 to Waldo, west on Route 137 though Knox and Unity to Freedom, south on Route 202 through Albion and China to South China, south on Route 32 to Windsor, then east on Maxcy's Mills Road to the Coopers Mills Road Substation in Windsor.
CMP selected three contractors to lead the transmission line construction of the company’s $1.4 billion Maine Power Reliability Program — MYR Group, Inc.; Irby Construction Co.; and Hawkeye LLC.
A cargo ship that was turned back during the bridge's malfunction was carrying one of two 286-ton electrical transformers, part of CMP's Maine Power Reliability Program.
This week, CMP announced delivery of the two 286-ton electrical transformers, one to be delivered by ship to Portland for the company's new Maguire Road Substation in Kennebunk and the other to Searsport for tranport to Coopers Mills Road Substation in Windsor.
The ship scheduled for arrival at the Mack Point Marine Cargo Terminal in Searsport is expected on Friday. The ship carrying the 286-ton electrical transformer to the Merrill Marine Terminal on the Fore River is the one that was delayed by the bridge malfunction, but the delay was not significant, said John Carroll, spokesman for CMP.
"These are both being installed as part of a five-year construction project. We're just about to celebrate the halfway mark," Carroll said.
Friday, May 17 marks the halfway point on the upgrade, he said.
"These are the last two transformers that are to be delivered," Carroll said.
The Maguire Road autotransformer delivery schedule includes a Saturday departure from Portland via rail; a May 18-19 arrival in Wells; a May 21-22 transfer from rail car to hydraulic trailer for a procession west on Route 9 and Route 109; "jack and slide" under I-95, north on Route 9A, and west on Maguire Road to the substation.
The "jack and slide," Carroll explained, is actually a complex exercise that hoists the transformer above the Maine Turnpike bridge while the carrier is conveyed under the bridge.
"They will build a crane there on the roadway and pick the thing up, build a trailer, and slide it under the highway, disassemble the crane and move it and reassemble it on the other side," Carroll explained.
"They're slow and deliberate and they get it done," Caroll said of the contractor.
Coopers Mills Road autotransformer delivery schedule: May 10-13: Expected vessel arrival and berthing at Mack Point Marine Cargo Terminal, Searsport; May 14, 7 a.m.: Discharge autotransformer to hydraulic heavy haul truck and MDOT inspection; May 15-16: Depart Searsport. The truck will travel south on Route 1 to Belfast, north on Route 141 to Swanville, west on Route 131 to Waldo, west on Route 137 though Knox and Unity to Freedom, south on Route 202 through Albion and China to South China, south on Route 32 to Windsor, then east on Maxcy's Mills Road to the Coopers Mills Road Substation in Windsor.
CMP selected three contractors to lead the transmission line construction of the company’s $1.4 billion Maine Power Reliability Program — MYR Group, Inc.; Irby Construction Co.; and Hawkeye LLC.
Last Updated on Thursday, 09 May 2013 23:47
Hits: 103
Maine DOT: Failed switch led to malfunction on Casco Bay Bridge
Written by David Carkhuff
A switch that failed on the Casco Bay Bridge caused a malfunction Wednesday that forced a halt to traffic across the northbound side of the bridge during peak traffic, officials reported.
The bridge spanning the Fore River was closed Wednesday afternoon to South Portland-to-Portland traffic for about two hours due to one "leaf" of the drawbridge getting stuck in the up position.
Out of 124 switches that help with maneuverability of the bridge, one of those failed to respond, said Ted Talbot, Maine Department of Transportation spokesman.
"It's a particular type of switch that went wrong, that failed," he said. He added that the same switch functioned properly when tested on later attempts. Regardless, the state planned to replace the switch Thursday.
Warning lights and gates remained working, so the malfunction did not threaten public safety but stalled operation of part of the bridge, Talbot explained. The switch failure disabled the ability of operators to fully elevate the northbound side of the drawbridge; then, the "leaf" was fully raised as the problem was worked out. An electrician arrived Wednesday and returned early Thursday to "continue to try and diagnose" the problem. Two test openings followed the malfunction, and the bridge operated properly during both, Talbot said.
Traffic snarls were inevitable during the 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. afternoon rush.
"We always regret the inconvenience to motorists, but when these incidents happen, you have to react," Talbot said.
Built in 1997, the bridge is a major corridor between the cities of Portland and South Portland. During its temporary closure Wednesday, traffic flooded onto the nearby Veterans Memorial Bridge.
An engineer with Cianbro corporation of Pittsfield was tasked with the bridge's repair, the same company that handles the state's maintenance contract for the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge repairs in Kittery, Talbot said.
In a slightly related item, on Thursday, May 30 at 6 p.m. at the Kittery Community Center, Maine DOT plans a public meeting to discuss replacement of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge.
In early April, that bridge, which spans the Piscataqua River, was taken out of commission when a tanker broke free from a state pier and struck the bridge, costing an estimated $2.5 million in damage. Cianbro was hired by the Maine and New Hampshire departments of transportation to perform the repair work.
The bridge spanning the Fore River was closed Wednesday afternoon to South Portland-to-Portland traffic for about two hours due to one "leaf" of the drawbridge getting stuck in the up position.
Out of 124 switches that help with maneuverability of the bridge, one of those failed to respond, said Ted Talbot, Maine Department of Transportation spokesman.
"It's a particular type of switch that went wrong, that failed," he said. He added that the same switch functioned properly when tested on later attempts. Regardless, the state planned to replace the switch Thursday.
Warning lights and gates remained working, so the malfunction did not threaten public safety but stalled operation of part of the bridge, Talbot explained. The switch failure disabled the ability of operators to fully elevate the northbound side of the drawbridge; then, the "leaf" was fully raised as the problem was worked out. An electrician arrived Wednesday and returned early Thursday to "continue to try and diagnose" the problem. Two test openings followed the malfunction, and the bridge operated properly during both, Talbot said.
Traffic snarls were inevitable during the 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. afternoon rush.
"We always regret the inconvenience to motorists, but when these incidents happen, you have to react," Talbot said.
Built in 1997, the bridge is a major corridor between the cities of Portland and South Portland. During its temporary closure Wednesday, traffic flooded onto the nearby Veterans Memorial Bridge.
An engineer with Cianbro corporation of Pittsfield was tasked with the bridge's repair, the same company that handles the state's maintenance contract for the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge repairs in Kittery, Talbot said.
In a slightly related item, on Thursday, May 30 at 6 p.m. at the Kittery Community Center, Maine DOT plans a public meeting to discuss replacement of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge.
In early April, that bridge, which spans the Piscataqua River, was taken out of commission when a tanker broke free from a state pier and struck the bridge, costing an estimated $2.5 million in damage. Cianbro was hired by the Maine and New Hampshire departments of transportation to perform the repair work.
Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 00:49
Hits: 97
Casco Bay Bridge jams during rush hour
Written by David Carkhuff
The northbound side of the Casco Bay Bridge was closed Wednesday due to a bridge malfunction, when the drawbridge stuck in the up position for nearly two hours during rush hour traffic.
What resulted was a "domino effect" from motorists trying to find a way around the stoppage, snarling traffic and forcing police to direct traffic.
"I had units out on the bridge helping people get backed up and turned around and off the bridge," said Sgt. Adam Howard with the South Portland Police Department.
The Maine Department of Transportation told WMTW that the bridge was attempting to open when it stuck around 4:20 p.m. Wednesday. Technicians were rushed to the scene to fix the problem.
By 4:45 p.m., South Portland Police had issued a traffic alert about the stuck drawbridge, urging drivers to avoid the area. For many it was too late. Mill Creek Shopping Plaza on the South Portland side was clogged with traffic.
Howard recalled some short tempers but no major incidents resulting from the tie-up.
"It's a long two hours for us and everybody stuck in traffic," he said.
By 6:15 p.m., officials were reporting the bridge restored and traffic moving again.
The Casco Bay Bridge was completed in 1997 to replace the Million Dollar Bridge.
Howard said malfunctions with the drawbridge are infrequent, but "we manage it when it happens."
The other side of the bridge coming into South Portland remained functioning during Wednesday's mishap, although traffic navigating from Portland to South Portland was moving slowly.
"Especially during peak traffic, it overloads the rest of the infrastructure pretty quickly," Howard noted.
Work on outer Broadway to replace a water main forced one-lane alternating traffic, creating a separate but compounding bottleneck, Howard said.
"On Broadway, with people heading to try to get to the Veterans Bridge to try and get around, that backs up as well, so it's a domino effect," he said.
"Everything took four times longer than it usually does," he said.
What resulted was a "domino effect" from motorists trying to find a way around the stoppage, snarling traffic and forcing police to direct traffic.
"I had units out on the bridge helping people get backed up and turned around and off the bridge," said Sgt. Adam Howard with the South Portland Police Department.
The Maine Department of Transportation told WMTW that the bridge was attempting to open when it stuck around 4:20 p.m. Wednesday. Technicians were rushed to the scene to fix the problem.
By 4:45 p.m., South Portland Police had issued a traffic alert about the stuck drawbridge, urging drivers to avoid the area. For many it was too late. Mill Creek Shopping Plaza on the South Portland side was clogged with traffic.
Howard recalled some short tempers but no major incidents resulting from the tie-up.
"It's a long two hours for us and everybody stuck in traffic," he said.
By 6:15 p.m., officials were reporting the bridge restored and traffic moving again.
The Casco Bay Bridge was completed in 1997 to replace the Million Dollar Bridge.
Howard said malfunctions with the drawbridge are infrequent, but "we manage it when it happens."
The other side of the bridge coming into South Portland remained functioning during Wednesday's mishap, although traffic navigating from Portland to South Portland was moving slowly.
"Especially during peak traffic, it overloads the rest of the infrastructure pretty quickly," Howard noted.
Work on outer Broadway to replace a water main forced one-lane alternating traffic, creating a separate but compounding bottleneck, Howard said.
"On Broadway, with people heading to try to get to the Veterans Bridge to try and get around, that backs up as well, so it's a domino effect," he said.
"Everything took four times longer than it usually does," he said.
Last Updated on Thursday, 09 May 2013 01:23
Hits: 65
City to look at selling, developing unused land
Written by Craig Lyons
The city will soon start taking a look at parcels of land it owns that could be sold off for housing or other types of development.
The Housing and Community Development Committee reviewed several parcels of city-owned property that could be sold off, and the committee tasked city staff with narrowing down a list of more than 200 properties to the ones that could have the best future use. The committee asked the staff to prioritize the parcels that are the most promising and come back before the group later in the summer.
"Let's pick some land that's promising and evaluate our options," said Councilor Kevin Donoghue.
The committee looked at a list of 253 properties that could be used for housing, according to a memo, and highlighted six for further discussion.
The properties suggested by the staff include:
• An 8,460 square foot lot at 157-161 Brackett St. in the B1 zone. The lot is valued at $126,300.
• A 14,364 square foot lot at 96-98 High St. in the B3 zone. The lot is valued at $302,300.
• A 19,600 square foot lot at 208 Stevens Ave. in the R5 zone. The lot is valued at $92,800.
• A 19,810 square foot lot at 11-25 Taylor St. in the R6 zone. The lot is valued at $124,000.
• A 151,366 square foot lot at Lane and Leighton avenues in the R3 and B4 zones. The lot is valued at $38,600.
• A 271,667 square foot lot at 21-29 Starbird Road in the R3 zone. The lot is valued at $50,300.
"These six properties we felt were the most intriguing to start the conversation," said Mary Davis, the city's housing and community development director.
Aside from the lots identified by Davis, the committee asked the city to consider additional parcels on Munjoy Street, another on Spring and High streets and a third at Franklin and Middle streets, adjacent to the police station.
Davis said the city will check to see if the lot at Middle and Franklin streets is tied to the site plan for the Police Department and if that land was set aside for a particular use. As for the other High and Spring streets lot, she said, it contains 13 metered parking spaces that are used as overnight for the residents and the city might want to keep that use given two new developments in that area.
Donoghue said he thinks the city should get a good idea of what lots are the most developable and see if there's a way to marry those parcels to housing resources.
City Councilor Ed Suslovic asked if the city could prioritize the properties based on the housing plan, zoning and other factors so the committee can better decide what to do with the land.
The Housing and Community Development Committee reviewed several parcels of city-owned property that could be sold off, and the committee tasked city staff with narrowing down a list of more than 200 properties to the ones that could have the best future use. The committee asked the staff to prioritize the parcels that are the most promising and come back before the group later in the summer.
"Let's pick some land that's promising and evaluate our options," said Councilor Kevin Donoghue.
The committee looked at a list of 253 properties that could be used for housing, according to a memo, and highlighted six for further discussion.
The properties suggested by the staff include:
• An 8,460 square foot lot at 157-161 Brackett St. in the B1 zone. The lot is valued at $126,300.
• A 14,364 square foot lot at 96-98 High St. in the B3 zone. The lot is valued at $302,300.
• A 19,600 square foot lot at 208 Stevens Ave. in the R5 zone. The lot is valued at $92,800.
• A 19,810 square foot lot at 11-25 Taylor St. in the R6 zone. The lot is valued at $124,000.
• A 151,366 square foot lot at Lane and Leighton avenues in the R3 and B4 zones. The lot is valued at $38,600.
• A 271,667 square foot lot at 21-29 Starbird Road in the R3 zone. The lot is valued at $50,300.
"These six properties we felt were the most intriguing to start the conversation," said Mary Davis, the city's housing and community development director.
Aside from the lots identified by Davis, the committee asked the city to consider additional parcels on Munjoy Street, another on Spring and High streets and a third at Franklin and Middle streets, adjacent to the police station.
Davis said the city will check to see if the lot at Middle and Franklin streets is tied to the site plan for the Police Department and if that land was set aside for a particular use. As for the other High and Spring streets lot, she said, it contains 13 metered parking spaces that are used as overnight for the residents and the city might want to keep that use given two new developments in that area.
Donoghue said he thinks the city should get a good idea of what lots are the most developable and see if there's a way to marry those parcels to housing resources.
City Councilor Ed Suslovic asked if the city could prioritize the properties based on the housing plan, zoning and other factors so the committee can better decide what to do with the land.
Last Updated on Thursday, 09 May 2013 01:21
Hits: 125